News 8 News
News
8
VP
&
GM Gone
The vice-president and general manager of Time-Warner’s local 24-hour news channel, News 8, was let go yesterday (Monday). News 8 Channel staff received a memo from Steve Paulus, president of the Time-Warner news division, today saying that Brian Benschoter “…is no longer the general manager.” Benschoter had been at the helm of the operation since its inception in September of 1999.
Paulus designated News Director Kevin Benz as the “point person” at News 8 while the position is posted. “Brian’s departure is not due to any issue at News 8,” Benz said. “This is not a reflection on News 8 at all. This does not signal downsizing or layoffs. It is purely a personnel issue.” Benz was assistant news director when News 8 started nearly ten years ago.
News 8 is a cable-only news operation, available only through Time-Warner, but it is run much like a broadcast television station. The general manager would oversee all departments including news, engineering, promotions and marketing, IT, and production. All advertising sales, however, are handled by Time-Warner.
Ironically, News 8 next week picks up a prestigious award, USC Annenberg Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism in the “Local Cable Station” division. It is the third time News 8 has won the award in out of the last four years, Benz said. The Cronkite Award specifically recognized News 8 Austin’s 2008 election year coverage including the original “Voters’ Voices” series, which included perspectives from four diverse families in the Central Texas area, in-studio interviews with Candidates, online and Video On Demand (VOD) voters’ guides and extensive election night coverage. “Judges praised the "Voters' Voices" series as "a refreshing approach to political coverage," which challenged conventional wisdom and cultural stereotypes by inviting real people in four families to discuss key issues,” the contest web site said.
© Jim McNabb, 2009
Barack Obama vs. The Law [add-on]
Excerpt:
Evil Conservative Radio and NMATV have teamed up to produce an upcoming documentary, “Barack Obama v. The Law”:
Dr. Orly Taitz, Attorney Mario Apuzzo, and WOR talk show host Steve Malzberg make the case about Barack Obama and his eligibility for the presidency. Produced and directed for NMATV by Bob Parks.
RedState also chimes in:I am not personally convinced the birth certificate is an issue, but I have to say, I have no leg to stand on but my “feeling” that it isn’t relevant because we’ve not seen actual birth certificate to butress my “feeling.” So, what do I tell people that insist this is an important issue?
I have nothing logical to tell them to disabuse them of their notion because I can’t prove them wrong.
So, why won’t Obama just publish the real birth certificate?
Hat Tip:
The Right Side of Life
*******
Update:
Obama is a TERRIBLE LIAR, TOO!
Obama's Shattered Dreams
Hat Tip:
TD Blog
The Fox Nation Debuts
Interesting new website over at Fox News.com. The Fox Nation. LOTS of great articles to read and comment on at the site. Now, I have to go back and read the comments of the two funniest "Fox Forum" headline articles.
Is Obama Too Bright To Be President?
HA HA HA HA HAAAAA!!! What a HILARIOUS title! A teleprompter Resident in the White House who only knows how to read a script written by his cronies is "too bright?" Certainly not the words that I would apply to ObamaFRAUD.
Excerpt:
More Roosevelt… Less Jimmy Carter… that’s what this brand needs!
Folks, there’s been a lot of scrutiny of President Obama in these first 100 days. It goes with the territory. The attention is brutal no matter who’s in the Oval Office and it always will be.
In the last week and a half, Obama’s said and done things and appeared in ways that could lay the foundation for a negative brand image that no one will be able to reverse.
Exposure is something most marketers covet . . .but over-exposure especially of the wrong features can be deadly for a personal brand.
That is why, Barack Obama –whom I’ve called a first-rate poli-marketer (see the past few weeks FOX Forum posts here)– had better stop behaving like Jimmy Carter and start emulating Roosevelt.
ALAN COLMES: Leave My President Alone
AWWWWWW....POOR BABY BOY ALAN! HE'S SOOOOOO UPSET BECAUSE HIS USURPER AND INCOMPETENT, AMERICA-DESTROYING-PWESIDENT IS BEING CALLED OUT BECAUSE OF HIS TOTAL INEPTITUDE!!
This excerpt is priceless:
I have a great idea. Leave the guy alone. Yes, LEAVE OBAMA ALONE. I’m not suggesting we not hold our government officials accountable, but how about giving the new chief time to find out where the men’s room is in the White House?
Oh Alan...I for one sure DON'T miss you on the old "Hannity and Colmes" show. Hannity's show is SO MUCH BETTER WITHOUT YOU!
Hat tip:
The Fox Nation.com
Look through the disability And See The Person
How was everybody's weekend? Mine was okay, but as you can see I'm still trying to catch up on some things. Therapy is going well as I have said. On a personal level, I am struggling. It's been so hard to find friends down here; the only people I know here are my family. On the one hand, it just makes me learn to appreciate my friendships developed in college so much more.
I'm sure my disabled readers know where I'm coming from. We just want someone to look beyond the disability and see us.. a person with the same hopes and dreams as anyone else. With that in mind, I came across this unique video presentation about Dave. Please take a look
http://garr.posterous.com/look-through-the-disability-an
Kutiman - Thru You
Congresswoman Bachmann & Freedom
Is my latest heroine! How absolutely refreshing it was to listen to her interview with Glenn Beck on the radio yesterday!! She is one true voice in Congress (where many still remain totally clueless) that represents the millions and millions of people who did not vote for unqualified, radical neo-Marxist Obama! Sane people don't want to see his equally unqualified elf assistant - the tax cheat and power grabbing Timothy Geithner - lead us to a worsened economic downturn or get our nation into some sort of a global currency!!
Michelle Bachmann gets it!! She gets us!!
Here's the link: Glenn Talks With Congresswoman Bachmann
Here's the entire interview:
Quote:
March 27, 2009 - 12:05 ET
Congressman Michele Bachmann
GLENN: 888 727 BECK. Congressman Michele Bachmann is with us now. Congressman, how are you?
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: Good morning, Glenn, good afternoon, good evening, good to see you.
GLENN: How are things?
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: Well, things are hot on the front lines in Washington, D.C. There's a lot happening, a lot of pots are boiling over and we're very concerned about what we're seeing.
GLENN: I want to talk to you a little bit about Timothy Geithner. Explain to America what is happening with how close are we to having Timothy Geithner be able to shut down private businesses if they feel it's a threat to the economy?
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: Well, it's very close. That's exactly what was before our committee yesterday. As if there wasn't enough on the treasury secretary's plate, he wants to broaden his power to a level never seen before and it's President Obama that's giving this directive. So this is at his directive that now the treasury secretary would have the authority to come in and essentially nationalize the private business before it's at the point of failure. He would be able to go and nationalize it and then also reset all of the employee wage contracts.
GLENN: Your question was so fantastic. Where in the Constitution do you have the right? How did he answer that?
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: He did not give me an answer regarding where in the Constitution it is. So I repeatedly went back to the same question, "Not there. Where." He was saying congress passed a law that said and I said, no, not that; where in the Constitution. Because he raises his right hand and takes an oath to the Constitution as treasury secretary, as I do as a member of congress. Everything that we need to everything we do needs to be in accordance with the Constitution. Congress can pass an unconstitutional law. If we pass an unconstitutional law, then he should not be working to uphold that law.
GLENN: Michele, I am concerned that we are on the verge of transformation that we may never get back.
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: Yes, I am, too. I share that concern. Glenn, it's that serious. It's almost like radio shows like yours are the committees of correspondence that the Revolutionary War had where we're trying to get the word out to people who still love the fundamental freedoms that our country was founded upon.
GLENN: Hang on just a second.
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: It is that serious that we're about to lose it.
GLENN: Hang on just a second. Congressman, here's the problem. The Democrats and the Republicans have done so much damage and played so many games with the American people saying they are for term limits and then never doing them, saying that they are for smaller spending and then not doing it, saying that they are for protecting us in every way possible but then not doing it, saying that they are for border security but then not doing it, saying they are going to enforce our laws but they are not doing it. I mean, the list goes on and on and on and on. We are playing now with nitroglycerin and it is about to explode and there are people like me that believe we are truly in this area, it is we are truly ready to lose our country if we don't do anything and it's not a partisan issue. It is, there are a lot of Republicans that are lining up and doing the give act and everything else. They are right along with them on many cases. So
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: It's terrible and I'm glad you brought it up. It's going to come to the house next week. I urge your listeners, make calls today to tell your member of congress, do not vote for that thing. But let me tell you, there's something that's happening this week in congress that could be the eventual unraveling for our freedom and it was this. I have also asked the treasury secretary and Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chair, if they would categorically denounce taking the United States off of the dollar and putting us on an international global currency because as you know, Russia, China, Brazil, India, South Africa, many nations have wind up now and have called for an international global currency, a one world currency and they want to get off of the dollar as the reserve currency.
GLENN: Most people don't understand, Michele, what that means.
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: What that means is all of the countries in the world would have a single currency. We would give up the dollar as our currency and we would just go with a one world currency and now for the first time we're seeing major countries like China, India, Russia, countries like that calling for a one world currency and they want this discussion to occur at the G20. So I asked both the treasury secretary and the Federal Reserve chair if they would categorically denounce this. The reason why is because if we give up the dollar as our standard and commingle the value of a dollar with the value of coinage in Zimbabwe, that dilutes our money supply. We lose control over our economy and economic liberty is inextricably entwined with political liberty. Once you lose your economic freedom, you've lost your political freedom and then we are no more as an exceptional nation as we always have been. So this is imperative. Well, what happened, the day after I asked that question for the treasury secretary, secretary Geithner went before the council on foreign relations and the same subject came up. After that meeting after he categorically denounced it to me, he said to the council on foreign relations he would be open to this proposal of a single currency, of expanding the international monetary funds' special drawing down rates. That's what they're called. And this created a huge firestorm which the value of the dollar literally tumbled upon his words when he said that.
GLENN: Right. And then somebody said, "I think you want to revisit that again." And he did and he said, "Well, no, I don't mean..." look, Congressman Bachmann, you know and I know with the amount of money that we're printing, the amount of spending that we're doing, there is no way now to pay back what we are now on the hook for. There's no way to do it. So they
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: No, that's why we have to reel back in every commitment that we've made. It hasn't all been spent yet, Glenn.
GLENN: How will you do that? How are you going to Congressman, you are not going to do that unless the people I mean, two million, five million people go to Washington and I don't know I mean, look. You know, I just said
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: I agree, but they need to. The people at this point, they need to be armed with knowledge. People need to be armed with knowledge, which you are giving them and then what they have to do is use that knowledge. They need to use it, band together just like these tea parties people are doing. This is very effective. And come to Washington and let the establishment know, "Look, we love this country. We love it based on freedom. We don't want to go with an international currency and we don't want to yield our freedom and be bankrupt." And unfortunately the current administration really does believe in a social welfare state and they really do believe in economic equivalency which is not America.
GLENN: May I just say the frustration that most Americans have or the same frustration that I have, I don't want to believe that there are people in our country that are intentionally doing these things. I don't want to believe that there are people in our country that would trash our dollar like this. And what's going to happen is if you start to talk about a global currency which I'm telling you there's no way out of what we're doing now besides devaluing the dollar to pay off our debt and then have a new currency. There's just no other way.
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: But we can stop that.
GLENN: Wait a minute. Congresswoman, what happens is when you stand up and when you say those things, then you're deemed a kook. Then you're deemed a militia member. And there are too many people in America that will still listen to the mainstream media. They will still listen to, you know, to those in Washington on both sides of the aisle that say, "Oh, no, well, that's never going to happen." And so they sit there and do nothing. And those who do want to do something are afraid because they don't want to be deemed a kook. And they also are tired of being played by politicians in Washington.
CONGRESSWOMAN BACHMANN: Well, Glenn, I have experienced that throughout my political career being labeled a kook. It just happened again in a big story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. But all we have to do is point to the treasury secretary on tape, on camera. This is not Michele Bachmann being a kook. This is our treasury secretary on tape and on camera. And also we now have countries across the world asking for this. That's why I went to my fellow colleagues and I dropped a bill day before yesterday that would bind the president's hands, that wouldn't allow him to enter into a treaty or an international agreement to take us off the dollar and put us on an international currency because once that you've exactly stated it right. The president is committing us so much now and congress is committing us to so much spending that the only way out will be for him to continue to print money and have wild inflation. And once that collapses, then it's a global currency. Well, then we are no more as a nation. We cease at that point. So we still are at a point of pulling back but I mean, right now the secondhand is right up to midnight on our freedom and so people have to act. This is not just a radio show call or this is not a gimmick. This is reality now. This is our call to arms. So that's why I dropped this bill so that which means I filed this bill on the floor so that we can get this passed so we can bind the president or his designee so they cannot put us into a global currency. /quote
Hat Tip:
Glenn Beck Program
P.S. Recall the line that Jim Carrey often used in the movie, The Truman Show? He would greet his neighbors with, "Good morning. And if I don't see ya - good afternoon and good night." Near the end of the movie Truman decides to trump his fear of the ocean (because his (fake) dad allegedly drowned there) and he risks his own life to brave the extreme effects of a created storm at sea. He does this for two purposes - and two purposes only. He wants to know the truth and live in FREEDOM! He works so desperately to learn the truth about his existence and to be free! He gets to the point of standing at the staircase which would exit him from the movie set. Heretofore, he had spent his entire life in a Matrix-like, blue pill swallowed movie set. The staircase would lead to him some unknowns, but it would lead him out to reality.
The "director" of the movie who had him under control (neo-Marxism!) for his entire life and tried to play god - Christoff - warns him that he will get hurt out there. But if he stays, then he will remain safe under the rule (tyranny) of his direction (squelching all of Truman's freedoms) and the safety of the movie set (prison) he created for him. Truman thinks about it for a bit, then says something like "if I don't see ya, good morning, good afternoon and good night."
FREEDOM!!!
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Ronald Reagan
Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.
Ronald Reagan
I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.
James Madison
Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.
John Quincy Adams
If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.
John F. Kennedy
Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.
George W. Bush
A free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad.
Albert Camus
I believe that God has planted in every heart the desire to live in freedom.
George W. Bush
The momentum of freedom in our world is unmistakable - and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can trust in that greater power Who guides the unfolding of the years. And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true.
George W. Bush
The terrorists are fighting freedom with all their cunning and cruelty because freedom is their greatest fear - and they should be afraid, because freedom is on the march.
George W. Bush
There is nothing wrong with America that faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens cannot cure.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
For all who love freedom and peace, the world without Saddam Hussein's regime is a better and safer place.
George W. Bush
The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.
George W. Bush
Everywhere that freedom stirs, let tyrants fear.
George W. Bush
The United States of America will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins. The killers will fail, and the Iraqi people will live in freedom.
George W. Bush
The wisest use of American strength is to advance freedom.
George W. Bush
True freedom is where an individual's thoughts and actions are in alignment with that which is true, correct, and of honor - no matter the personal price.
Bryant H. McGill
If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom, and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.
W. Somerset Maugham
What is the essence of America? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom "to" and freedom "from."
Marilyn vos Savant
Pervading nationalism imposes its dominion on man today in many different forms and with an aggressiveness that spares no one. The challenge that is already with us is the temptation to accept as true freedom what in reality is only a new form of slavery.
Pope John Paul II
A free America... means just this: individual freedom for all, rich or poor, or else this system of government we call democracy is only an expedient to enslave man to the machine and make him like it.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Whenever men take the law into their own hands, the loser is the law. And when the law loses, freedom languishes.
Robert Kennedy
Freedom rings where opinions clash.
Adlai E. Stevenson
The secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage.
Thucydides
The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
Billy Graham
Hat tip:
Brainy Quote.com
Funny...I couldn't find one quote there (yet - haven't gotten through entire list) with Obama mentioning the word "freedom." But look at how many quotes there are from George W. Bush!
Update: Just finished going through all of the "freedom" quotes on that page. No Obama freedom quotes there - isn't that odd???
A "Drive By" Blog Post
About today's post. I try not to do this very often, but sometimes it is necessary. What is it? Well, I will just call it "drive by" blogging. When I'm REALLY busy with a project, family, or just plain awful "spring cleaning" work, I try to locate some of the best blog posts of the day and post them here.
Fortunately, The Right Side of Life certainly makes things easier! Phil often has "headlines" up each day which include so many of the articles, issues, and happenings that I would love to blog about!
Of course, Gateway Pundit always has LOTS OF POSTS up each day. I wonder if there is just one blogger over there or a team of them?
Lastly, I discovered something quite weird in the comment section of Orly Taitz's blog, Defend Our Freedoms. Apparently, a Pakistani website has a group of world leaders listed on a discussion forum. Scroll down and you will read:
President of USA (44th) Barrack Hussain [sic] Obama of Democratic Party* (Kenyan born) (Since 20th Jan 2009)
I don't know a whole lot about this website, but the post and thread that this is in is supposed to be for "FPSC Recruitment Tests." It is under the category that reads, "General Knowledge, Quizzes, IQ Tests - A zone where General Knowledge related to this exam can be shared. Surveys and Threads with polls and questions that require answers can be Posted here."
The forum is labeled "CSS Forum" - which stands for "Civil Service of Pakistan."
Anyone out there have more information about this?
Hmmmm....you would think that answers about leaders on a civil service test would be accurate...right?
Hat Tips:
The Right Side of Life
Gateway Pundit
Defend Our Freedoms.
Hackery
Moneyshot quote:
Offensively, Michael Bourn could be the key to everything the Astros hope to accomplish. If he's the player Ed Wade thought he'd be when he made the Brad Lidge trade, he transforms the lineup.12 at bats over three games, and Bourne's batting average is .010 less than it ended up last year, and this is how Justice defines hot? Nevermind that Bourne is just above the Mendoza Line as an Astro, or that he seems to be struggling to understand the geometry of Center Field defense. Nope, none of that matters.
His has the kind of speed that can win games, fluster pitchers and put Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee into position to drive in a ton of runs. He would transform the Astros from an artistic standpoint as well.
Last season's original blueprint began with speed (Michael Bourn and Kaz Matsui) at the top of the order. They bring a dimension of speed few other teams have.
Speed is out. Speed doesn't compute. But if you've got speed, if you can make running worthwhile, you've got a valuable weapon.
Last season's plan fell apart when Bourn didn't hit. He finished the season with a .229 batting average and 111 strikeouts. He started this spring very badly, with his averaging sinking to .167 a few days ago.
Maybe, just maybe, he's getting hot at the right time. He has been on base seven times in 12 plate appearances his last three games and raised his batting average from .167 to .219.
(emphasis mine)
In order to understand this you have to understand how the ego of Richard Justice effects his sportswriting. Richard's been around a long time, and he does have a decent institutional memory of Major League Baseball. He's got a list of funny quips and stories a mile long. Richard also likes to be treated as if he's important, and he likes a certain style of player. Players learn quickly that catering to Justice's twin ideals of upstanding citizenry and catering to his ego (his "I am the media" explosion is still mocked) lest you fall out of favor, is a good way to gain a friend in the media. (being a UT grad doesn't hurt either)
What gets lost in all of this however is that Justice, while a good scribe, lacks the serious analytical ability to really offer any meaningful insight into the prospects of a team.
The point of all this background is to point out that the Astros, even IF Micheal Bourn stays hot, are probably not deep enough in starting pitching or on the bench to seriously compete this year for the playoffs. On top of that, after one and a half equivilent seasons Bourn's batting average is .237 and his OPS is a miniscule .612, expecting a turnaround of epic proportions is probably putting too much pressure on a man who's got good speed, but serious issues with the other four tools required to play baseball.
Blind optimism I can understand from the fans, but from journalists whose job it is to provide insight and analysis?
Houston should expect a little better than that.
Friday's Belated Post
Okay,
So I realize therapy and the busyness of life have kept me from posting lately. Progress has been slow and steady, but I am learning how to move again. Like my occupational therapist says, it's more about learning how to move your arms and fingers separately rather than just improving appearances (i.e. my tightness and rigidity). I'm glad we are on the same page with that because it's easy to lose sight of the little accomplishments. I barely have time for myself anymore
Anyway, it's been difficult to find anything new and exciting in the disability world these days; so, for right now, this is the best that I can do. Below is the blog of the current Ms. Wheelchair Washington. It's amazing what people with disabilities can do..
http://mswheelchairwashington.blogspot.com/2009/03/ms-wheelchair-washington-loves-her.html
Local Sports Shorts (03/26/09)
Cop stopped Texans player as he rushed to be with dying Mother-in-law [Jeff McShan, KHOU news] - The perils of Driving While Black in Texas. Even after others repeatedly asked the Dallas PD officer to let him go he refused. Shameful.
Tejada gets 1 year probation. [KRIV Sports] - And he's got to correct his birth certificate, and quit getting botox to make himself look younger.
Sam Houston State wants Blake Joseph. [Mark Berman, KRIV] - He'd be a good fit for them. SHSU has a good track record w/QB's from D-1 schools who transfer in.
UH receiver Patrick Edwards to partake in non-contact drills this Spring. [College Football Talk] - I saw a story on this on TV last night, but it's not on any website. Brutal injury, good story, great young man.
Casey, Dillard, to get good look by Pro Scouts. [Meagan Manfull, Chron.com] - Casey has 'h-back' written all over him, and Dillard has the
Dynamo close to signing veteran Akinbiyi. [Bernardo Fallas, Chron.com] - *YAWN*...A journeyman with some scoring ability, but little creativity, who's probably 5 years past his prime....sounds like someone a Major League Baseball team would bring into AAA to mentor the young guys doesn't it? Not that MLS is Minor League mind you.
Obama Admin & Dem Congress Bullies
Obama, Geithner, Dem Congress etc. - They all ought to be TOTALLY ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!
Obama - show us your vault-length COLB you phony and fraud!
Geithner - throw this bum out! FIRE HIM NOW!
Dem members of Congress (not the "blue dog" Dems who still have brains, hearts, and a sense of decency) -
VOTE THEM ALL OUT!!! Better yet - impeach them all NOW!!!
Christine
*******
Quote:
Op-Ed Contributor
Dear A.I.G., I Quit!
Published: March 24, 2009
The following is a letter sent on Tuesday by Jake DeSantis, an executive vice president of the American International Group’s financial products unit, to Edward M. Liddy, the chief executive of A.I.G.
DEAR Mr. Liddy,
It is with deep regret that I submit my notice of resignation from A.I.G. Financial Products. I hope you take the time to read this entire letter. Before describing the details of my decision, I want to offer some context:
I am proud of everything I have done for the commodity and equity divisions of A.I.G.-F.P. I was in no way involved in — or responsible for — the credit default swap transactions that have hamstrung A.I.G. Nor were more than a handful of the 400 current employees of A.I.G.-F.P. Most of those responsible have left the company and have conspicuously escaped the public outrage.
After 12 months of hard work dismantling the company — during which A.I.G. reassured us many times we would be rewarded in March 2009 — we in the financial products unit have been betrayed by A.I.G. and are being unfairly persecuted by elected officials. In response to this, I will now leave the company and donate my entire post-tax retention payment to those suffering from the global economic downturn. My intent is to keep none of the money myself.
I take this action after 11 years of dedicated, honorable service to A.I.G. I can no longer effectively perform my duties in this dysfunctional environment, nor am I being paid to do so. Like you, I was asked to work for an annual salary of $1, and I agreed out of a sense of duty to the company and to the public officials who have come to its aid. Having now been let down by both, I can no longer justify spending 10, 12, 14 hours a day away from my family for the benefit of those who have let me down.
You and I have never met or spoken to each other, so I’d like to tell you about myself. I was raised by schoolteachers working multiple jobs in a world of closing steel mills. My hard work earned me acceptance to M.I.T., and the institute’s generous financial aid enabled me to attend. I had fulfilled my American dream.
I started at this company in 1998 as an equity trader, became the head of equity and commodity trading and, a couple of years before A.I.G.’s meltdown last September, was named the head of business development for commodities. Over this period the equity and commodity units were consistently profitable — in most years generating net profits of well over $100 million. Most recently, during the dismantling of A.I.G.-F.P., I was an integral player in the pending sale of its well-regarded commodity index business to UBS. As you know, business unit sales like this are crucial to A.I.G.’s effort to repay the American taxpayer.
The profitability of the businesses with which I was associated clearly supported my compensation. I never received any pay resulting from the credit default swaps that are now losing so much money. I did, however, like many others here, lose a significant portion of my life savings in the form of deferred compensation invested in the capital of A.I.G.-F.P. because of those losses. In this way I have personally suffered from this controversial activity — directly as well as indirectly with the rest of the taxpayers.
I have the utmost respect for the civic duty that you are now performing at A.I.G. You are as blameless for these credit default swap losses as I am. You answered your country’s call and you are taking a tremendous beating for it.
But you also are aware that most of the employees of your financial products unit had nothing to do with the large losses. And I am disappointed and frustrated over your lack of support for us. I and many others in the unit feel betrayed that you failed to stand up for us in the face of untrue and unfair accusations from certain members of Congress last Wednesday and from the press over our retention payments, and that you didn’t defend us against the baseless and reckless comments made by the attorneys general of New York and Connecticut.
My guess is that in October, when you learned of these retention contracts, you realized that the employees of the financial products unit needed some incentive to stay and that the contracts, being both ethical and useful, should be left to stand. That’s probably why A.I.G. management assured us on three occasions during that month that the company would “live up to its commitment” to honor the contract guarantees.
That may be why you decided to accelerate by three months more than a quarter of the amounts due under the contracts. That action signified to us your support, and was hardly something that one would do if he truly found the contracts “distasteful.”
That may also be why you authorized the balance of the payments on March 13.
At no time during the past six months that you have been leading A.I.G. did you ask us to revise, renegotiate or break these contracts — until several hours before your appearance last week before Congress.
I think your initial decision to honor the contracts was both ethical and financially astute, but it seems to have been politically unwise. It’s now apparent that you either misunderstood the agreements that you had made — tacit or otherwise — with the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, various members of Congress and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo of New York, or were not strong enough to withstand the shifting political winds.
You’ve now asked the current employees of A.I.G.-F.P. to repay these earnings. As you can imagine, there has been a tremendous amount of serious thought and heated discussion about how we should respond to this breach of trust.
As most of us have done nothing wrong, guilt is not a motivation to surrender our earnings. We have worked 12 long months under these contracts and now deserve to be paid as promised. None of us should be cheated of our payments any more than a plumber should be cheated after he has fixed the pipes but a careless electrician causes a fire that burns down the house.
Many of the employees have, in the past six months, turned down job offers from more stable employers, based on A.I.G.’s assurances that the contracts would be honored. They are now angry about having been misled by A.I.G.’s promises and are not inclined to return the money as a favor to you.
The only real motivation that anyone at A.I.G.-F.P. now has is fear. Mr. Cuomo has threatened to “name and shame,” and his counterpart in Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, has made similar threats — even though attorneys general are supposed to stand for due process, to conduct trials in courts and not the press.
So what am I to do? There’s no easy answer. I know that because of hard work I have benefited more than most during the economic boom and have saved enough that my family is unlikely to suffer devastating losses during the current bust. Some might argue that members of my profession have been overpaid, and I wouldn’t disagree.
That is why I have decided to donate 100 percent of the effective after-tax proceeds of my retention payment directly to organizations that are helping people who are suffering from the global downturn. This is not a tax-deduction gimmick; I simply believe that I at least deserve to dictate how my earnings are spent, and do not want to see them disappear back into the obscurity of A.I.G.’s or the federal government’s budget. Our earnings have caused such a distraction for so many from the more pressing issues our country faces, and I would like to see my share of it benefit those truly in need.
On March 16 I received a payment from A.I.G. amounting to $742,006.40, after taxes. In light of the uncertainty over the ultimate taxation and legal status of this payment, the actual amount I donate may be less — in fact, it may end up being far less if the recent House bill raising the tax on the retention payments to 90 percent stands. Once all the money is donated, you will immediately receive a list of all recipients.
This choice is right for me. I wish others at A.I.G.-F.P. luck finding peace with their difficult decision, and only hope their judgment is not clouded by fear.
Mr. Liddy, I wish you success in your commitment to return the money extended by the American government, and luck with the continued unwinding of the company’s diverse businesses — especially those remaining credit default swaps. I’ll continue over the short term to help make sure no balls are dropped, but after what’s happened this past week I can’t remain much longer — there is too much bad blood. I’m not sure how you will greet my resignation, but at least Attorney General Blumenthal should be relieved that I’ll leave under my own power and will not need to be “shoved out the door.”
Sincerely,
Jake DeSantis /quote
*******
Here's some Glenn Beck commentary:
Quote:
March 25, 2009 - 12:21 ET
Related Story
Dear A.I.G., I Quit!
[ APPLAUSE ]
GLENN: Fantastic. What was it the president said? Didn't the president say that he was no longer going to let us be ruled by fear? Where is anyone on the left! Where are the good Democrats on the left! I believe in you. I don't agree with you, but I believe in you. I believe you're a human being and a thinking American, not just a zombie. Where are you? Where are you? What have we turned into? We are now -- we now have ACORN lining up buses, a media that does not expose that the buses were rented and paid for and organized by ACORN! We have them going to poor districts, rounding up a bunch of people: Hey, you've got to come with us; you want to do it; quick, come on the bus; it will be fun. And then taking them to these AIG houses and then calling the press and saying, "There's protests, there's people protesting right in front of the houses." And the press comes and nobody asks, "Who rented the buses? How did you guys get here? Who are you people?" And the day before that, the day before that there were protests in front of AIG: Take these taxes back! These people are criminals!
You've got -- while congress is saying these people should commit Harry Carey, nobody in the media decided to ask, who are these people in front of AIG. Do you know who they were? They were organized by the Service Workers' Union. Wait a minute, the service workers, the service workers, the service workers, why do I know that union? Why does that sound -- oh, I remember. ACORN is in bed with Barack Obama. ACORN helped get out the vote. ACORN is now getting billions of dollars. ACORN and these community groups getting all kinds of money. While you can't donate any more if you're in a certain tax bracket and actually, you know, write it off, you don't need to do that because the government will take care of the community needs through organizations like ACORN. While they're in bed, who's doing the bidding in front of the AIG houses and stirring up the hate? ACORN. Who's in front of AIG? The Service Workers' Union. How are they connected? Let's go back to Nevada, shall we? Let's go back to that crucial race in Nevada. Do you remember? Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, everyone was saying, "Well, Barack Obama, he's going to be the winner. Hillary Clinton should just get out. No, no, no, Nevada, she's popular, it could work there." All of a sudden there's this big scandal about, you can't ask people to leave work, we need to be able to put these voting stations in the casinos so our people can vote.
When did anyone ever say that they were going to put a voting booth in your cubicle? When did they ever come to your office: "You have to leave work." But the unions arranged it so they could put voting booths in casinos. Which union was it? Oh, my goodness, it was the Service Workers' Union. Oh, that's weird that they're now -- why is the Service Workers' Union, why would they be organizing that in front of AIG? It's an insurance company. What is the service workers? You mean the people who work in hotels, that union? Why are they involved in front of AIG?
America, there is a show going on. This is incredible to me, and it's incredible to me that no one in the press is doing their job and asking the damn questions! Who really was responsible for the CEOs at AIG? Where did they disappear to? Where are there bigger bonuses going to Fannie and Freddie, two government institutions run by... oh, my goodness, wait a minute. Run by Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd. Hey, by the way, didn't we just find out that Christopher Dodd's wife worked for AIG in Bermuda? Why did AIG have a business in Bermuda? That's not a place to have a business. Oh, unless it's a tax dodge. Oh. So she was working -- he lives in Washington, or in Connecticut. She does, too, but she works in Bermuda for AIG. I wonder if there's any connection there. Oh, my gosh, by the way, did you hear about that bank that Barney Frank helped out? It was funny. Barney Frank was sitting there and a local bank from his district walked in. It was a minority bank. And they walked in into a meeting with the treasury and Barney Frank and Maxine Waters, they are all sitting there and they say, hey, guys, we need some money, we need a bailout right now. And the treasury starts to say, no, no, wait, guys, this is not what this is for, we just want to find out -- they went right to Barney Frank and Maxine Waters and talked to them and said, we need this money, we need it right now or we're going to fold. They got the money. Treasury says they were surprised that all of a sudden how that one happened, how this bank just turned the tables on everything and they got their money right away. You know what's weird? This is so incredibly weird. Do you know who's on the board of directors of this bank? Oh, my gosh, I didn't know. Maxine Waters' husband. Maxine Waters' husband. Isn't that weird. My gosh, I'm glad we're not paying attention to that story. I'm glad we're just nailing the people who are working for a dollar a year, I'm just glad that we're nailing their ass to the wall. You know, the ones who had nothing to do with it. /quote
YEP!!!!
Hat Tips:
NYTimes.com
Glenn Beck.com
*******
Must read posts that I found today:
Error Theory: Obama's laughter: amused by the win-win uncertainty of what kind of hero he will turn out to be
Investigating Obama: Obama Eligibility Challenger, "Stephen Pidgeon in imminent danger of arrest by Homeland Security," Says the Email -- UPDATING
[Update on Investigating Obama topic: Eligibility lawyer says Homeland Security shadowing him
Reports incidents involving county, federal agents]
[Note from Christine: If this doesn't prove that Obama has thugs out protecting what he is desperately trying to hide - then nothing will!]
Lame Cherry: The Real Geniuses
Sultan Knish: From Freedom to Tyranny - Is America Walking Down Russia's Path?
Stormy Weather
TV Weather Staffs Rejoice
For months and months, the local TV weather staffs have scanned the skies, hoping to see a cumulo-nimbus cloud coming our way. They longed to play with their toys. Wednesday afternoon, a line of storms formed in the Hill Country and started its march east. It blew into the viewing area just in time for afternoon and early evening viewing, pelting people and their property with hail stones up to the size of a tennis balls. Soon, the weather reporters were joined by the news reporters and anchors to tell the story as it developed.
The weather put on a destructive show. The television stations had time to put their people in place to provide reports. Honestly, all did a good job.
If viewers wondered why there were few traditional live shots, it is because of concerns for the safety of the crews. Live truck operators should not raise their towers and establish a signal if there is still lightning in the area.
KVUE TV (ABC)’s Mark Murray did his usual professional job working his way through graphics with a calm demeanor. His graphics package has one feature that seems better than others, the software that predicts arrival of the storm in various neighborhoods in the storm’s path. All stations have this, but his looked better. However, the rest of his graphics don’t measure up to those of KEYE TV (CBS) and KXAN (NBC). KVUE producers also chose to use a split screen during much of their coverage. Unfortunately, many viewers do not have giant screen HDTVs. So, the split screens, particularly the weather maps were rather hard to read. KVUE did have reporters in the field using live trucks. At least live shot was during a driving rain storm.
Susan Vessell, chief meteorologist at KEYE used her graphics well. She is very competent. The other available meteorologist Megan Campbell was reporting outside the station using a hand-held instrument to measure the wind velocity. Jason Wheeler was at the station in north Austin. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much action there. Gregg Watson was out in the Hill Country where there was a lot going on. Unfortunately, he had to be on the telephone. Judy Maggio did have an excellent telephone interview with a storm victim who lost all of the windows in her house.
News 8 was adequate, but Maureen McCann appeared to be all by herself, once saying that there were email photos she had not had time to check them. I will also admit that I didn’t spend a great deal of time on News 8 tonight. Ms. McCann always does a good job.
Scott Fisher, KTBC TV (Fox) chief meteorologist, was also adequate. Mr. Fisher has something of a speech pattern which, after watching a while, tends to wear some viewers down.
I’ve been accused of favoring KXAN TV. I’ll probably get the criticism again. Fine.
Some of my praise for KXAN coverage is because of the kind of weather reporter Jim Spencer is. Some of it was making lemonade out of lemons in the middle of storm. Some of it was a full-court press, using everyone, including anchor Robert Hadlock who found live pictures from the TexDOT traffic cameras. Former Hill Country reporter Erin Cargile was in the Hill Country on the phone. Also on the phone describing cars with windshields “busted out” (again and again) was reporter Carla Castano.
All of that was pretty normal until lightning struck, literally. The station took a power hit. Spencer kept talking and finding something to talk about while rebooting a weather center full of the computers that produce the radar images and projections. It could have been an awful and awkward moment, but Spencer has been there before. Spencer also seemed to have the most help. Both Mary Lee and Natalie Stoll were on hand to keep the crawl going across the bottom of the screen and find photos in the email. So, they were there when the lights went out.
Then came the “money shot”: KXAN Reporter Jenny Hoff and photojournalist Thomas Costley, armed with a camera-equipped laptop computer connected through Skype, found the huge hail. Spencer conversed with Hoff and even called Costley to gather hail stones and show them to the audience. Hoff had an earlier shot while it was raining. It was interesting, because of the technology, but contributed little. The Skype call with the hail stones was “money”. Later, they interviewed a homeowner who lost windows to the hail stones. Reporter Matt Flener also used the broadband technology.
Conveniently, the heavy weather exited to the east right at 7 p.m., and all stations returned to regular programming.
© Jim McNabb, 2009
ACORN Whistleblowers & Obama Eligibility Report link
Read how the whistleblowers (former ACORN workers) are being harrassed at Maggie's Notebook. She has part of the scoop on what was discussed on Glenn's show yesterday: ACORN Whistleblowers - ACORN Pays Poor People to Protest and Worse
One of the whistleblowers refused to go public (or appearing on Beck's show) because she fears for her 2 year old's life!! Just goes to show how far ACORN bullies would go - threatening a former worker who is the mother of a two-year-old child because she spoke the truth about that awful organization and their terrorizing methods???
Readers, please share any additional information and/or links you have found on websites or blogs.
Thanks!
Christine
Hat Tips:
Glenn Beck
Maggies Notebook
*******
UPdate:
This is a significant development!
The Right Side of Life: Report Released on Presidential Eligibility
Encouragement: Never Give Up: Appropriate for Today, Don't You Think?
So I found this foundation/blog and I thought it was pretty appropriate for today. Having a disability, giving up seems like a easy way out at times, but it's not. This foundation sheds light on the different avenues available to people with special needs.
http://nevergiveupfoundation.blogspot.com/2009/03/parenting-for-children-with-special.html
The Soft Tyranny of the NOBama Regime
I first heard about the "The Modern Militia Movement" questionnaire on Glen Beck's radio show.
Stop the ACLU blog goes into much more detail, sharing the fact that a Secret document leaked: The Obama administration is branding libertarians and abortion opponents as hidden terrorists.
Excerpt:
“Militia members most commonly associate with 3rd party political groups,” the report reads. “It is not uncommon for militia members to display Constitutional Party, Campaign for Liberty or Libertarian material.” Other potential signals of militia involvement, according to the report, are possession of the Gagsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flag or the widely available anti-income tax film “America: Freedom to Fascism.”
I wonder whether or not they will eventually include Mark Levin's new book, Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto on their list?
Isn't it awful to see this terribly inept Resident in the White House and his neo-Marxist buddies continue to destroy not only the financial sector of our nation; but in addition to that, the liberty, freedoms, and pursuit of happiness that is guaranteed in our Constitution and other Charters of Freedom?
Excerpt from American Thinker article:
The overall plan of the book is simple and logical. Chapter One, "On Liberty and Tyranny," lays out the basic conceptual scheme. Levin contrasts two opposing political philosophies currently in contention: The Conservative versus the Statist. He grounds the Conservative in the values and insights on human nature of the American Founders, and does so economically and convincingly. For the other side of the debate, he quite correctly rejects the label "liberal", because in current usage the term has become entirely divorced from its literal meaning. He writes:The Modern Liberal believes in the supremacy of the state.... For the Modern Liberal, the individual's imperfection and personal pursuits impede the objectives of a utopian state. In this, Modern Liberalism promotes what French Historian Alexis de Tocqueville called soft tyranny, which becomes increasingly more oppressive, partially leading to hard tyranny.... As the word "liberal" is, in its classical meaning, the opposite of authoritarian, it is more accurate, therefore, to characterize the Modern Liberal as a Statist. (p.4)
The following nine chapters, plus an epilogue containing Levin's own manifesto -- the political changes he posits as desirable (and with which I agree) -- are organized thematically, with titles such as On Prudence and Progress, On Faith and the Founding, On the Welfare State, and On Self Preservation (i.e., national security), wherein he encapsulates nearly all the major political issues of our day, providing essential up-to-date information, while also weaving in the wisdom a timeless thinkers ranging from Alexander Hamilton to St Augustine. As the book progresses, the chapters become more and more focused on current political disputes. But the beauty of the structure is that the principles discussed in the earlier chapters are brought to bear on the subsequent topics.
[Update: Nice Deb reports that the book has been out for one day and is already #1 at Amazon! More links to article about the book there, too.]
I wanted to see what Mr. Levin meant by "statist."
I think that the following definition fits.
stat·ism (stā'tĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key
n. The practice or doctrine of giving a centralized government control over economic planning and policy.
stat'ist adj. & n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
We can already see the development of "soft tyranny" in the NOBama administration. Mark hits it exactly right when he writes, "which becomes increasingly more oppressive, partially leading to hard tyranny."
That is what all of the TEA parties going on across America are all protesting about! And, what is interesting is the fact that it is not only conservatives who are concerned about our current "soft tyrannical government," there are independents, libertarians, and even some liberals who are concerned about the neo-Marxist hard turn to the left that NOBama is taking this nation.
We are certainly
Taxed
Enough
Already
here in America. Leading us towards trillion dollar deficits is NOT THE ANSWER!
During the 60 Minutes interview, Mr. Kroft reveals that in a typical survey, only 18% of people agree with NOBama's economic policies! That means that a whopping 72% of the public THINKS NOBAMA'S ECONOMIC PLANS STINK AND WE ARE HEADING IN A DREADFULLY WRONG DIRECTION!
What is it going to take to reach this man? He's not a king. He's not a dictator (at least he's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE!).
Fellow Americans - we MUST rise up and get our voices heard and the message out that WE DON'T WANT THIS FORMER KENYAN VILLAGE IDIOT AND CLUELESS, RECKLESS CONGRESS TO COMMIT GENERATIONAL THEFT AND CREATE TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEFICITS!!
If only common sense ruled the day Washington D.C. I guess that is too much to ask with the many morons occupying seats in the Senate and the House.
Thankfully, there are still some SANE PEOPLE in Congress. Rep. Gohmert had a great idea that, unfortunately, never saw the light of day. Why? Because PeLIARsi and ReiDUNCE dismissed all of the Republicans (and their ideas) and were shut out of the financial problem debates.
If I recall correctly, Rep. Gohmert proposed a "tax holiday" for all Americans for only three months. If such a tax holiday was given for up to six months, it STILL would have cost 1/2 (estimate) less than the Stimulus bill!!! It would have IMMEDIATELY placed more money into the pockets of EVERY WORKING TAXPAYER and BUSINESS OWNER. In turn, the business owners would have been able to hire more people. Each taxpayer would have more money to spend and that spending would have most likely helped every industry (including the failing car sales giants) in dire straits right now, by having more of OUR OWN MONEY (after all, it is EACH AND EVERY WORKER'S MONEY - NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!) to spend and get the economy going again. This idea would have had IMMEDIATE RESULTS!
Economically speaking, nothing happens until someone sells something. In turn, that means that someone else is buying. IMO, government SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING!!! Especially when they are using OPM - Other People's Money in the most wasteful ways imaginable! The Democratic majority's mindset is "tax and spend." They know NOTHING about the correct way to run a business!!!
But don't take my word for it. After all, I'm just a dumb blogger. I'm not an economist. However, I listen to those economists who have shared their views that NOBama's economic policies are quite the disaster.
Even other countries are worried about this new NOBama administration making disastrous economic moves.
China Calls For New World Currency to Replace Dollar
I suggest you read the entire blog post and subsequent links, but here is a brief excerpt:
In February communist China warned Democrats not to discard the stable state of bilateral relations by following a "whatever-not-Bush" economic policy. Russia's Putin warned Democrats about socialism.
But, Democrats went ahead with their historic spending bills anyway.
These moves by democrats now have China concerned that skyrocketing inflation is on the way.
In response, China called for a new reserve currency to replace the dollar.
The Financial Times reported:[A]nalysts said the proposal was an indication of Beijing’s fears that actions being taken to save the domestic US economy would have a negative impact on China.
“This is a clear sign that China, as the largest holder of US dollar financial assets, is concerned about the potential inflationary risk of the US Federal Reserve printing money,” said Qu Hongbin, chief China economist for HSBC.
The Democrats are so dishonest.
First, they can't ever admit that the Bush tax cuts helped boost our economy for 7 of the 8 years he was in office.
Second, many bloggers have caught on to their schemes. The economic disaster was a manufactured crisis (count how many Dems caused it!!!) to get their "boy" into office. Recall how they blamed it on Bush? Perhaps they didn't think it through all the way and being the "economic geniuses" they are (NOT!!) are now stunned to see how hard it is to stop this out of control train wreck going down the track of disaster.
Back to Levin's book.
I plan to get a copy today. Can't wait to read it!
We can see - just by the piled on economic turmoil that the NOBama admin. is creating (on top of the manufactured crisis in the first place!) is an example of "statist" mentality. It is a kind of "soft tyranny" that Mr. Levin mentions in his book - which will one day lead to hard tyranny - neo-Marxist Obama's plan in the first place. That is probably why he can get stoned and appear on 60 Minutes - laughing his way through the interview while Mr. Kroft sits there in unbelief asking him, "are you punch-drunk?"
Yep...drunk with his own Kool-Aid mixture and ObamaBorg mind - trying to ruin our economy and nation even before the close of the Lamestream media's stupid "100 days" landmark. It's becoming more and more obvious to millions of people - especially those who regret voting for the phony - his inexperience, haplessness, and clueless mindset on good economic policy will make the legacy of his first days more like, "How to ruin a nation in 100 days."
Hat Tips:
American Thinker
Stop The ACLU
GateWay Pundit
Nice Deb
*******
Related Articles:
The Weimar Solution
American Thinker: Is Obama Creating a BC Bubble?
Excerpt:
Nowadays, the success of our Treasury bond sales depends on the good will of China's Gao Xiqing, who controls over $700,000,000,000 of outstanding US treasury notes and who reportedly is a hard core Chinese Communist who regards America as China's enemy.
Why, then, is Obama pursuing this risky maneuver? We can imagine at least four possibilities, in order of increasing infamy:
* He is too naïve or ignorant to understand what he is risking.
* He knows but doesn't care, being interested only in what looks good for the moment.
* He wants to cause inflation, because inflation favors debtors and the biggest debtor in the United States is the United States. Moreover, inflation leads to devaluation of the dollar, which, as James Lewis recently pointed out, is one of the key objectives of puppet master George Soros.
* He wants to provoke a crisis of capitalism, as James Simpson has already suggested.
Whatever the reason, the effects could be devastating.